[radonsg]

Another entry dac you can consider, AUDINST HUD-MX1 DAC/amp

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/484163/review-audinst-hud-mx1-dac-amp-a-promising-newcomer-compared-to-audio-gd-fun-amb-gamma2

 

[bosiwollig]

okay thnx,
a dac/amp combo isn't that just an external soundcard? or is there a differnce?

 

[monoethylene]

In easy words it is a soundcard. At least a soundcard doesnt do anything other but the quality of DAC/Amp combos is normally superior and in many cases even increased when using separated DACs and Amps.

 

[radonsg]

okay thnx,
a dac/amp combo isn't that just an external soundcard? or is there a differnce?

Don't understand your qn.

Do you understand what is a DAC (Digital-to-analog converter)?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital-to-analog_converter

A soundcard has a DAC chip built in to convert digit mp3 to analog signal which is send to the speaker to produce the sound.

There are 2 type of external DAC (sound I refering to).
1 with amp built in, so you can plug in your headphone directly
the other type w/o which need to be use togther with another amp, u then plug your headphone to the amp.

 

[bosiwollig]

okay thnx

 

[Smallville]

In reality, you probably won't notice that huge of a difference in sound since your headphones are on the lower tier. It would be better to invest that money into a better pair of headphones and then get a DAC. I'm not saying that you WON'T notice a difference, but it probably isn't big enough of an upgrade to justify the $130 (uDac-2).

 

[bosiwollig]

okay, but i notice a huge difference between the sound of my computer and the sound of my mp3 player with fiio e5 amp (<= and that's a verry cheap setup. When i hook up my headphones to my receiver (onkyo tx-nr807), it sound also alot better. Will the nuforce udac 2 sound better than the onkyo?
 
I just think my computer onboard sucks

 

[radonsg]

okay, but i notice a huge difference between the sound of my computer and the sound of my mp3 player with fiio e5 amp (<= and that's a verry cheap setup. When i hook up my headphones to my receiver (onkyo tx-nr807), it sound also alot better. Will the nuforce udac 2 sound better than the onkyo?
 
I just think my computer onboard sucks

I doubt so, your onkyo tx-nr807 cost $1k (it has so much more higher end stuff) where as udac2 only $130.

 

[monoethylene]

Quote:

Quote:

okay, but i notice a huge difference between the sound of my computer and the sound of my mp3 player with fiio e5 amp (<= and that's a verry cheap setup. When i hook up my headphones to my receiver (onkyo tx-nr807), it sound also alot better. Will the nuforce udac 2 sound better than the onkyo?
 
I just think my computer onboard sucks

I doubt so, your onkyo tx-nr807 cost $1k (it has so much more higher end stuff) where as udac2 only $130.

Whereas money not always indicates the quality
 
I think you should just give the NuForce a try but look that you may return it easily when it doesnt satisfy your needs.
 

 

[bosiwollig]

okay thnx

 

[monoethylene]

The issue is that normally even though you have a good receiver or better an expensive one the headphone out is like a gift of the manufacturer because there are no extra costs. This is in most of the cases true but not in general. I will say that there are also exceptions with a very good intergrated headphone out IMO.
 
Make your own experiences with them and after listening and comparing you can decide
 
Have fun